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DonDay’s AYCE Korean BBQ Lunch Is Too Damn Good to Only Be $10

My love of all you can eat buffets knows no boundaries, but sadly there aren’t too many of them between Downtown and Santa Monica (my primary lunching boundaries.) Thankfully there is all you can eat Korean BBQ to fill the void, and I’ve been doing my best to sample as many of the $10 versions as I possibly can. It’s no surprise that most $10 ayce Korean BBQ lunch specials are limited. You usually only get pork belly and brisket, and the quality is less than spectacular. Then again, what do you expect for only $10. So when I discovered Choi Ga Neh, back in November, I was pretty excited. For just $11 you not only get brisket and pork belly, but also seasoned beef, beef belly, tripe, and chawan mushi. And for an extra $1 they’ll give you naeng myun (cold noodles) as well. Once again, the quality is not the best. But for $11, it was hard to imagine a better lunchtime all you can eat deal in Koreatown.

That is until now.

DonDay is a relative newcomer to the Korean BBQ soon (I think they’ve been open less than two years) and I have no idea how long they’ve been doing their $10 ayce Korean BBQ lunch special. But if I had to guess I’d say not that long. The friends who took me said that the place is packed at night, and yet it was completely empty for the lunch the day we went. And considering what they give you for $10, I don’t see how that could possibly last long.

And the best part, is the quality was way better than you normally get at $10 all you can eat. I didn’t love the boston butt (it’s not really a grilling cut, and ended up being too tough) but the pork belly was surprisingly tender. (We also had a great grill master, so that probably didn’t hurt.) The marinated chicken and pork were both super tasty, and the brisket wasn’t cut super thin (like a lot of places) so it didn’t get all decimated on the grill.

They also sport a nice selection of ban chan, including a great kimchi pickle, as well as fish cake and dotorimuk (acorn jelly).

Plus you get salad, rice, rice cake wrappers, and soybean stew at the end.

It was a feast of epic proportions, and I seriously don’t understand how this place stays in business charging only $10. My only explanation is that it’s fairly new, and word isn’t out yet? I also can’t imagine a better ayce Korean BBQ place for the price. And while usually an all you can eat Korean BBQ trip is usually followed by the feeling of “I don’t have to do that again for while”, DonDay made me seriously consider returning the next day- it’s that good. In other words, I’ll be going back as much as I can… that is, until they wise up and raise the price.

3 Comments

Zach: I have never been to a Korean BBQ, but have read a lot about them. A point I am confused on. You said you had a great grill master, but as I understand it, the customer at such an establishment is responsible for their own grilling. Did this place have an employee do your grilling for you? (or are you simply complimenting one of your companions? for their efforts)